WSN is a multi-disciplined firm that provides architecture; civil, structural, mechanical and electrical engineering; land surveying; environmental services; water resources and funding development to public and private clients throughout the upper Midwest.

FS's president, Greg Boppre, sees the merger as a way for his group to accelerate the expansion of service offerings in the region.

"For us, organic growth was steady over the years, which served us well," he said. "But it also tended to limit the pace of growth because of our size. Now, with the horsepower of WSN behind us, we can instantly expand the range of services available to our clients. WSN gives us immediate, in-house access to half a dozen disciplines we lacked in the past."

WSN President Tim Moe sees the merger as interweaving two complementary firms. "From WSN's perspective, bringing FS into the fold significantly enhances our civil engineering capabilities not only in the Greater Grand Forks area, but throughout northwestern Minnesota and North Dakota."